William Shakespeare

Terry Eagleton is Professor of Cultural Theory and John Rylands Fellow at the University of Manchester. His works include The Ideology of the Aesthetic (1990), Literacy Theory: An Introduction (1983), Walter Benjamin (1981) and Marxism and Literacy Criticism (1976).

"Brilliant little book ... dazzling and exhilarating ... Eagleton is alive to the excitement and originality of a great playwright." Sunday Times "When you read this book you feel Eagleton's pleasure in reading Shakespeare's works. He deals with the plays in chapters which cut across the well-used categories and an excitement is created by the unexpectedness of the directions which he takes." Marxism Today"Always provocative, Mr. Eagleton does in print what directors regularly do on stage: change the century, stitch up new costumes, but preserve the story line and language." Herbert Mitgang, The New York Times

• Preface ix1 Language: Macbeth, Richard II, Henry IV 12 Desire: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night 183 Law: The Merchant of Venice, Measure for Measure, Troilus and Cressida 354 ‘Nothing’: Othello, Hamlet, Coriolanus 645 Value: King Lear, Timon of Athens, Antony and Cleopatra 766 Nature: As You Like It, The Winter’s Tale, The Tempest 90Conclusion 97Notes 105Index 109